Vamos cycling race and events blog

March 2012

2012-03-13T07:47:00.001+01:00

March 2012, a set on Flickr.

Some amazing weather this March

Latest

2012-01-21T22:00:00.000+01:00

New news at Vamos, the new wood burner is finally in and running the central heating. The weather here has been fantastic, the longer it lasts the shorter the Winter is going to be. All the latest sportive dates are appearing on the website as we get them and we are still taking bookings for the tour. We have knocked a couple of walls down in the kitchen and improved the layout a bit so the chef can prepare even better meals. We also have a new 9 seater van to make the airport transfers as comfy as possible.

It's raining

2011-11-03T09:23:00.002+01:00

The first day of rain today since a slight shower in May! Good for the farmers but not so good on the bike. We are getting some jobs done on the house at the moment while we are quiet including a new wood burner to run some central heating, should make the house a lot more comfortable and get rid of the massive electric bills, these big stone houses are designed for Summer only. We are looking good for next year with some nice size groups booking in for some Winter training. I will be updating the website over the next couple of months with next years sportive and event dates including a duathlon and even a triathlon! if riding in your under pants is your thing. Don't forget we are open for Christmas and new year with lots of cycling to be done. Time for more diy !

September

2011-09-25T20:04:00.000+02:00

We are nearly at the end of the month and what a busy time it's been. We have had guests on their 3rd, 4th, and even 5th visits! We have been right around the base of the Sierra Nevada on our tour including the mighty Pico Veleta climb, one of THE toughest climbs anywhere. We have a couple of days of now to sort out the house and then on with a busy October. We are filling up fast for the new year and getting ready to send out the dreaded Christmas messages to say we will be open. So if you would like to avoid the usual Christmas drop us a line.

At last

2011-09-09T13:55:00.002+02:00

What with twitter and facebook etc I've been getting a bit lazy doing the blog. We had a busy run up until Summer and then the usual dip for July and August that we now take as a bit of a break before it all starts up again. We are off on our tour in a couple of weeks around Granada and the Sierra nevada taking in Pico Veleta en route with a good sized group.
I will be sending out a newsletter soon as we are starting to fill very quickly for Feb/March next year, a very popular time to start getting some Winter training done. I've not been racing much myself apart from a MTB race a couple of weeks ago with very bad form, makes you realize how quick the Spanish are when you are not at your best.
Adios

El Limite 2011

2011-07-18T10:07:00.002+02:00

We are just back from a great weekend in Granada where we took part in El Limite, a very tough sportive finishing at the ski resort above thttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifhe city. Here are a couple of reviews from guests:
And a link to some great photos

Sierra Nevada El Limite Sportive - Granada - Spain 9 July 2011

By Bryan Carrick Age 55
341st out of 571
As I exit the air conditioned airport laden down with bike box and luggage, a sudden sanity check is required. It’s Wednesday 6th July 8pm and I feel as if I had just walked into an oven that had been baking all day and was now in the process of just cooling down. A bright neon temperature sign flashes out 32dg! I have just arrived in southern Spain for a five day mid season short break, away from the UK’s weather and the crowded roads, but primarily to take part in my first Spanish sportive. “The 2nd edition of the Sierra Nevada Limite 2011 Sportive”. A 145km (90miles) challenging route up and over 3 significant categorised mountains before a mountain top finish in a ski resort perched just below the Pico Velata at 2100m. With approximately 4000m of climbing, the first and last climb been given Hor’s Category (HC) in the past when included in the Vuelta à España. This was not going to be a fun charity ride! My hosts for this sportive were Spain based Vamos Cycling run by Sarah and Gary Williams, who had organising my stay, internal transfers and entry into the sportive.
Saturday morning 8am in Granada city, I had transferred a day earlier for registration and collection of my timing chip and numbers. This sportive is not on closed roads but to all intents and purposes it might as well be such is the Spanish culture for cycling. The route is well sign posted and signs do not go amiss and motorised vehicles are very patient, giving you a wide berth!
The city park is lined with London Plane trees and I am about to be released from the holding pen along with the 650 riders in a mass start. We had already under gone a pre timing chip check before hand so there were no worries on that front. Up ahead of me the front moves off at a steady pace held back by a “naturalised zone car” for the first 8km. This makes it a steady start ride out if it were not for the fact the road is already rising up. As the mass of riders flow through the suburbs every junction, roundabout and traffic light that could interrupt up the riders is covered by either a State Civil Guard, local police or Spanish army soldier and so it will be for the whole route.
Prior to flying out I had done my homework on the profile and had divided up the route into four phases. Each mountain would include an ascent and descent of a climb with the first phase being the HC Category Monachil climb. From the start in Granada city to the top would be a 10.5 mile climb before the main descent. As we turned off the main road onto a narrower country road the road starts to seriously rise up. The Garmin 800 is showing 12% and for the next 3 miles that does not change much. Every rider holds his position leaving the left hand side of the road for the mountain goats. With no let up on the steep climb the first feed station as the road levels out for a short distance at 9.5 miles in is a welcome break already. Water station would be more appropriate, as food was limited to half bananas and half oranges with some savouries. No energy bars or gels available and certainly not a 3 course meals as some of the UK forums would suggest! Each water station is manned by the army. A short descent after the stop is again followed by a sharp climb to the top at 1500m. What follows is an exciting 6 mile steep descent with hairpins and sharp turns on perhaps the smoothest and widest roads you can wish for.
Phase 2 and 3 of my ride follow each other with some overlapping as the route doubles back on its self back to Granada. But before that, it is 50 miles of ascents and descents over some medium height mountains. The roads are smooth and the scenery stunning as we ride through small white coloured villages with crowds lining the route and around some large reservoirs that were so inviting as the temperature rises up to 32°c. At the furthest point out on the route I pass a water station. Having just checked my water bottles I decided to give it a miss. This went against my ride strategy of splash and dash when I see a water stop. My rash decision was to come back and bite me later. Groups of riders formed and disbanded as the route rose and fell. Sitting in was possible depending on the pace but with no wind slowing down progress riding solo was not an arduous task. As I approached the next water station I am down to half a bottle of very warm energy drink. As I dismount the bike I heard the army saying no water available. I am stunned for a few seconds whilst I think what to. I just hope other Spanish riders are also caught out and I come across some filling in local village water troughs further down the route. Sure enough I do and I fill both bottles with energy powder and water before dunking my head and feet with shoes still on into the trough. Hot foot and hot head was not an option I wanted. The following descent was uneventful yet exhilarating.
At 70 miles the road flattens out as you ride on a short transition road before the final push of the day, phase 4 of my ride. My Garmin shows the elevation as 790m and with 20 miles left; this climb will top out at 2200m. The final climb to the ski station is in 2 sections. A steep 7 mile climb followed by a short sharp descent into a valley before a long if not steeper 10 mile climb to the highest point. I am feeling good despite the heat as I start my climb. On my own now having dropped some of my cycling hombre, I tap out my pace as the road narrows as it goes up with the grade fluctuating between 7% and 10%. The initial climb eventually tops out and I descend the short sharp drop on this narrow road and it reminds me of a British country road. A few pot holes with gravel! Caution is order of the day now as I take my second severe hairpin bend on this section of road. The road levels out and we go through a couple of carved out rock face tunnels. This gives me sometime to quickly calculate the pain factor to come. The cycle computer elevation now indicates 1055m and with 10 miles left to ride I still have over 1150m of climbing. I estimate the pain factor as 9/10!!
Sure enough a gauge of the pain to come is on a sign by the side of the road. The sign indicates a 15% incline but what it fails to tell is that it is a series of 15% inclines with sharper ramps on left and right turns over at least a mile on the tree lined road. Having taken my last caffeine filled energy gel earlier, I begin counting the ramps but soon lose interest after at least 6. My pain level hits max. The Garmin HR zone is telling me I am in the red and just need to easy back a little. The trees help with the shade as temperatures are now up to 39°c. As I progress, casualties by the side of the road begin to appear. Heat fatigue and cramp are the usual suspects.
With 4 miles to go to the highest point on the route the road begin to open up as the trees disappear and the gradient begin to come down to an acceptable ride able level between 5% and 9%. The views are stunning as you look down to Granada some 2000m below. Down to my last half bottle of energy drink the final water station is a welcoming sight. I am feeling good as my bottle is filled but how I look is of concern to a fellow Spanish cycling hombre as he pours a litre of water over my head.
The top of the climb is indicated with a flag as I go over the top at 2200m and 88 miles in. The finishing point is 2 miles away on the other side of the climb in a ski resort and it is downhill all the way. The pasta party is in full swing as I roll under the timing gantry in 6hr 58mins just with in my target time. Vamos Cycling are already there to congratulate me and help me collect my goody bag and a hard earned cycling Sierra Nevada Limite jersey.
My final thoughts on the ride is that it has the makings of a classic (Alpine style) sportive. If you like long ascents with exhilarating fast descents but without the other 9450 riders that some iconic French rides produce then this is for you. Although not on closed roads it still offered the same challenges and thrills that the Etape du Tour did in 2010. I cannot be more appreciative of Gary’s advice and experience of riding in this region and the heat. Although I have no idea on other peoples costs, for me the whole 5 day experience including 2 nights stay in Granada, all transfers and entry into the sportive (43euro) and flights (booked separately with Ryanair) came in under £500. Compare that to some other big EU rides and I think it has a lot going for it. My last observation on the sportive ride is that the Spanish cyclists take their sportives as races and not fun charity rides. They are impeccably dressed and their steeds in pristine condition. Attempting to turn up with hairy legs and loose fitting charity clothes will really mark you out and a traffic (or fashion) police may divert you away from the route!

El Limite Sportive, Granada Spain 9th July
By Chris Green age 34
The heat of a Spanish July seemed a long way off when I persuaded myself to enter El Limite back in April. With more than 4000m of climbing in the Sierra Nevada packed into 90 miles it was clearly a serious ride that required some serious work to prepare for through the worst of the early British summer.
Come July it was off to Vamos! HQ on the other side of the Sierra Nevada range for a few days to acclimatise, test the legs on the hardest training roads I know and feed up for race day. Feeling a bit wobbly on a big climb in the 40 degree mid-afternoon sun was a valuable lesson in taking the heat seriously – and not turning up for El Lim with one bottle and hoping everything would be ok.
A short transfer with Vamos! - and two other brave El Limite hopefuls – and we were in the beautiful (and even hotter) city of Granada. It has much to offer the tourist but food and sleep were our top priority and both were catered for perfectly.
With more northerly parts of Europe suffering with rain and wind, race day dawned without a cloud in the sky and comfortably above 20 degrees even at 7a.m. The start line of a Spanish sportive is part social club, part boutique and part high-end bike shop – the Spaniards take their cycling seriously and like to look the part! Rolling out of Granada on roads which were all but closed it was readily apparent that the event was extremely well organised, with the riders always given priority and respect, looked after, and given plenty of encouragement from the side of the road. How unlike a sportive back at home.
The climbing starts straight away with the Puerto de Monachil – a short (by Spanish standards) sharp, 10km shock to the system straight after breakfast with plenty of 12% and one or two ramps well above 15%, followed by an awesome 75km/h descent back towards Granada. The route then heads east towards Gaudix on spectacular hilly roads, and back again to reach the foot of the final climb – which is more or less continually uphill for 18km. Gary from Vamos! and I got in group of about 60 riders which rode sensibly uphill and down on these hard roads, all thinking about saving something for the summit finish as we gradually picked off riders who had gone too fast at the start. The group split at the penultimate feed station and was in bits as the climb loomed.
A warning sign shortly after the picturesque village of Guejar-Sierra advised of 15% ramps to come as the serious climbing began. It didn’t say that the gradient wouldn’t relent for nearly 4km on a narrow road with concrete hairpins steep enough to give you vertigo. I felt at home as it looked like Wales – only much longer and slightly hotter. For a while I wondered why I was even bothering to carry a saddle around with me. The junction with the main road to the Sierra Nevada ski station finish – complete with well stocked feed station – was a great relief and it was time to wind it up and make up as many places as possible on the final ascent to 2200m.
The finish was as well organised as the start, with the Spanish TA cheerfully helping out at the magnificent food tent, and goody bags including a Limite jersey that actually fitted instead of lots of junk that doesn’t. 65th out of 571 was a respectable if not spectacular performance – with lots to think about how to go faster next year. With all the Vamos! riders finishing well all that was left was to return to Granada and enjoy the tapas!

UK

2011-05-22T20:51:00.002+02:00

I'm off back to the UK tomorrow to sort a few bits out. I'm going to try and do a few evening tens with my old club East Grinstead cc as well as the Magnificat sportive in Newbury.All good training ready for El Limite and the Marmottee.

La sufrida 2011

2011-05-02T14:02:00.002+02:00

Here's my ride from La Sufrida 2011, still waiting for the results

2011-04-24T17:51:00.001+02:00

El Buda

2011-04-18T08:33:00.005+02:00

Last weekend we went to race in El Buda, a marathon MTB race as part of the Spanish open championships. It's a huge event with 1300 riders competing in two distances. I had an excellent day placing 61st o/a and 7th in the master 40, that puts me in the front pen for next year which will make the start a lot easier. We are off too The Suffering in 2 weeks, a very hard sportive around Ronda. The weather is staying amazingly settled and dry, good for us but not so good for the farmers.

Video of new road

2011-04-07T08:40:00.002+02:00

A video taken buy one of our guests with a HD helmet cam descending the new road to the reservoir, very nice. Glad I wasn't the one trying to keep up with Freddie, looked a bit slippy

Warming up

2011-04-04T11:23:00.004+02:00

Summer feels like it has really arrived here in the Sierra Nevada. We have had a busy year with our training weeks so far. We are gradually getting some people away from Majorca type training camps, you don't need to pay £600 plus or a fortune for a cup of coffee or a small bottle of water in Spain. Every one who comes agrees Las Alpujarras is much better value with miles quieter and better quality roads. Don't forget we ride all week every week, not just 2 or 3 overpriced trips in the depths of Winter. We are getting into our Sportive season in a bit with details of them all on our website, all excellent value and brilliantly organized.

End of the tours

2011-03-12T15:06:00.002+01:00

We have just finished our second tour this year which was a great success. 544 km, 21hrs 44 mins and 6949 ms of climbing made them some solid weeks of riding and an excellent Winter training base. While spending our days in Mojacar we bumped into one of the the Rabobank teams out for a ride. We are now looking forward to our first sportives of the year and will be adding more to the website as the dates get released. I am doing the Marmotte this year so I'm hoping all these miles are going to give me a chance of a decent result, but we will see. We are busy now right up to the Summer when we will be doing another tour around the Sierra Nevada via Granada which went really well last year. We have had all kinds of cyclists out this year including Rob Lee from Morevelo who has given us a great report on his Blog. Weather wise we have had one of the best Winters ever and has only become a bit unsettled this week.

Flickr

2011-03-02T18:03:00.001+01:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

2011-02-04T09:31:00.002+01:00

We have just had a busy week with cycling weekly taking some pics for their Spring issues. The sun came out in the end and we all had a great week. We are off on our first tour on Monday to Mojacar and the weather is looking great, so hopefully a few early tan lines will appear. We now have some bib shorts to go with our tops, which are the same great quality and only €55.

Behind the scenes

2011-01-28T09:27:00.001+01:00

A short video of our photo shoot with Cycling Weekly

Untitled from Gary Williams on Vimeo.

Cycling weekly, Winter training

2011-01-24T08:20:00.002+01:00

Cycling weekly are out this week to take some photos for there spring magazines. The weather has turned a bit nasty but hopefully we should get some good shots. We are adding more sportive dates with the latest being the Puerto De La Ragua sportive on 26th June 2011. Details will be on the website soon. It's not long now until our first Winter tour which we are all looking forward to.

Christmas, new year and new shorts.

2010-12-19T17:30:00.003+01:00

Our new website is now up and running making it a bit easier to navigate and hopefully a bit higher up the rankings. Entires are still open for La Sufrida (The Suffering) which is on 30 April 2011, it's up to 400 entries and rising quickly. Our new Vamos cycling jerseys should be here any minute, apologies to those who have been waiting. We also have some shorts on order which should be here in around 6 weeks. I have entered the Marmotte for next year so the weeks running up to this I will be including a Marmotte simulation type ride to get everyone in the right place for tackling it. Our Winter tour is filling up fast so if you fancy some sun after Christmas please get in touch.

Tour recce

2010-11-17T10:25:00.003+01:00

We went for a ride yesterday to finalize the first day of our Winter tour. A brilliant ride through the eastern end of Las Alpujarras finishing at San Jose.

November 2010

2010-11-12T09:39:00.003+01:00

We are in the middle of our busiest October/November ever and the weather has been very kind to us. The roads are gradually being repaired after last Winters rain with more smooth tarmac everywhere. We are starting to get bookings for our Winter training tours which is great, these are going to be a nice way to get some miles done around the coast of Almeria in the Winter sun. Keep an eye out for sportive dates which we will put on the website as we get them confirmed, so far we have La Sufrida (The suffering) on the 30 April, details on the website soon.
If you would like more details on the suffering please get in touch. The entries fees increase gradually after Nov 30th

2010-10-25T12:59:00.006+02:00

Hello all
We now have the dates and details of our winter tour around the coast of Almeria. We are running this tour to try and give you the best chance of getting some dry and warm miles over the winter period. The south eastern corner of Almeria is the driest in Spain with a very small amount of rainfall every year and high average temperatures.The roads around this area are some of the smoothest I have ridden with very low traffic volumes. This tour is ideally suited to anyone planning some big early season sportives or anyone from cat 4 through to elite level racers. You can't beat getting some big miles into your legs early season and we have developed this tour to try and give us all the best chance in the driest area of Spain. If you are worried about being left behind don't be. The van will be in constant support to carry drinks and clothing etc. The same goes if you think it doesn't look tough enough, there will always be some extra time when we get to our destination for more cycling for those who wish. Sarah will be in constant support in the van transferring luggage etc, all we have to do is ride our bikes, the rest is taken care of.

First tour Feb 6th-12th
Second tour March 6th-12th
Please click on the days for route info.

Day 1 Arrive at Malaga airport no later than 1.00pm for your transfer back to Cadiar. We will then assemble the bikes and give them a local spin before we set off the following morning.

Day 2 We head East from our base in Cadiar losing height immediately on the recently resurfaced and very quiet road heading towards Almeria. Once through Almeria we head towards the pretty coastal town of San Jose for our first overnight stop.

Day 3 We leave San Jose and head north towards Mojacar. Mojacar has been used by Rabobank pro cycle team as a base for the last 4 years so that tells you something about the roads in this area. The town has a huge amount of restaurants to choose from but has managed to stay unspoilt and very Spanish feeling. We will be staying at a 4 star hotel with a covered pool and a gym if you still have the energy.

Day 4 We ride a local loop around Mojacar as used by the local cycling clubs and the Rabobank squad. Then back to the hotel to make full use of the facilities.

Day 5 Today we head West to the inland desert of Tabernas where many Spaghetti westerns have been filmed. We then head south back towards the coast for our over night stay at the resort of Roquetas Del Mar. Again restaurants are in abundance, with a fantastic beach.

Day 6 The last day and the toughest day. We head out west along the coast past the fishing port of Adra before climbing the 25km cat 1 Puerto De Albondon before dropping the 10km back down into Cadiar.

Day 7 Your transfer back to Malaga airport for your flight home.

What's not included? Flights, insurance and 5 evening meals.
Price £570.
Price based on 2 sharing. Single supplement 150 Euros

Please get in touch soon if you would like to book,
All the best
Gary and Sarah
Vamos cycling

First Tour

2010-09-25T17:44:00.003+02:00

We have just finished our first tour around the base of the Siarra nevada including the climb up the Pico Veleta. It was a great success and the visit to the Alhambra palace and a couple of nights in Granada were great fun. We will run the trip a few times again next year and include the actual race up the Veleta during one week. We are now getting ready for our busy run up to Christmas and looking forward to some good Winter weather.

Back to it

2010-08-21T10:59:00.004+02:00

We are just off to pick up our first lot of guests after our summer break (or painting the house as we like to call it) 6 riders from Jersey Velo on there 2nd visit. The sun is still shining and the temperatures are perfect for cycling here in Las Alpujarras at the moment. We only have a couple of places left for our first tour which we are all really looking forward to. I'm going to try and find a couple of extra sportives for later in the year so keep an eye out for those or add yourself to our newsletter via our main web page.

2010-07-22T15:20:00.005+02:00

Hello all
We are pleased to finally announce our first Vamos tour which will take us around the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains with stop offs in the amazing cities of Granada and Guadix. Please have a read through the itinerary below and let us know if you have any questions. If you can get enough mates together we can run the tour for you on your desired dates, (max 6 people). Hope to see you soon
Gary and Sarah

Vamos! Tour Itinerary

Sunday 19th September

Arrive at Malaga airport no later than 3pm for transfer back to our house in Cadiar.

A home cooked, 3 course dinner at the house.

Monday 20th September

After breakfast you can put your bikes together and go for a ride round the area with Gary to make sure everything is working (with the bike and the rider!) Dinner at the house again.

Tuesday 21st September

After breakfast we’ll load the car up with the luggage you want to take and head off for Granada. A distance of 92km with 1200 mts of climbing, going through Torvizcon, Orgiva, Lanjaron and Beznar, on quiet smooth roads with a lunch/coffee stop in Lanjaron on the way.

Our hotel in Granada is the 3 star Hotel Las Almenas* right in the centre of this beautiful and historical city. After you arrive the rest of the day and evening is yours to do as you please. You could sample some delicious tapas in one of the many bars, take a walk round the Albaicin or cathedral, or simply people watch while relaxing outside a cafe.

Wednesday 22nd September

Today you will be riding up the magnificent Pico Veleta to an altitude of over 3000 metres (snow permitting!) After breakfast you will leave the hotel and cycle to the outskirts of Granada before starting this stunning 40km climb up the Sierra Nevada. (It’s downhill all the way back!) A spot of lunch at the ski station on your way back down will refuel those legs!

Late afternoon will take us up the magnificent Alhambra Palace for a bit of culture and a tour round the Palace and gardens (this is optional), then the evening is yours to do what you want and we spend another night in Hotel Las Almenas

Thursday 23rd September

Today we leave Granada and head for Guadix, round the northern side of the Sierra Nevada, a trip of 58km with 905 mts of climbing. Tonight we become troglodytes and stay in a cave hotel, Cuevas Pedro Antonio de Alarcon*, the evening is yours to explore Guadix.

Friday 24th September

The last ride of the week. Today we head along the flat plains before turning towards Puerto de Ragua, a climb of 15km up to 2000m which then gives you a thrilling descent down from the cross country skiing station, before the last climb home through Valor, Yegen and Mecina Bombaron. A total of 86 km with 1800 mts of climbing.

Once back in Cadiar, it’ll be time to pack up your bike before heading into town for a farewell dinner.

Saturday 25th September

Today after breakfast we take you back to Malaga to catch your flight home, giving you Sunday to test your new mountain legs!!

Total kilometres cycled: 236 plus 80km up and down the Pico Veleta

Price per person £530

Please note:

Due to the mountainous nature of the area, this is not a tour for beginners. This is a challenging tour and you must be a regular, rider/racer to take part and have a good base fitness.

*Vamos Cycling reserve the right to change hotels if necessary

What’s included

6 nights B&B accommodation (based on 2 people sharing)

Airport transfers

Guided rides

Vehicle backup

3 course dinner with beer and wine on Sunday and Monday nights.

Ride snacks (muesli bars etc)

Entry to the Alhambra Palace on Wednesday

What’s not included

Flights and bike charges

Travel insurance

Dinner on 4 nights

Insurance

We require that you are covered by a personal accident and medical insurance policy that includes cover for sports activities and repatriation to your home country.

Below are a few shots from the route

Vamoscycling.com

Cicloturista Veleta 2010

2010-06-28T19:26:00.000+02:00

Here are a few pics from the weekend. Should be a load of official ones to follow.

XIV SUBIDA AL PUERTO DE LA RAGUA 2010

2010-06-10T21:56:00.005+02:00

Last weekend we took part in the Puerto De Ragua sportive, 117km with 2000mts of climbing. Starting in Guadix on the southern side of the Sierra Nevada and passing over the Puerto twice. I finished 11th so the constant Winter miles have really paid of. Well done to Chris for finishing his first ever sportive, and probably his toughest for some time. Bad luck for Richard who was climbing strongly in around 50th place when he crashed heavily on the final descent, getting away with cuts and bruises and a black eye, lucky boy.

Our next sportive is on the 26th June, and its the big one climbing all the way up the Pico Veleta, Europe's highest road. So if you fancy doing a Spanish Cyclosportive please get in touch. We attend more sportives in Spain than any other company offering much better value and hassle free entry.
Vamoscycling

La Sufrida 2010

2010-05-31T12:05:00.002+02:00

That's the end of the suffering for another year. A very well organized Sportive and one of the toughest Spain has to offer. I paced myself a lot more sensibly this year which resulted in a great time coming in 17th o/a. Well done to our guests Dave and Paul for completing the 117km route, not bad for a first attempt. One of the great things about this sportive was the size of the peleton with 90km done, it gave it a real race feel and didn't really split until we started the big climbs. The whole race is timed start to finish with an extra timed time trial in the middle which can draw you in to over commit which is a great idea. We are off to the Puerto De Ragua sportive this weekend with more guests entered so looking forward to that.

Todays ride in one picture

2010-05-25T17:26:00.001+02:00

P5250010,
originally uploaded by vamoscycling.

Juan Martinez Oliver Sportive

2010-05-21T18:26:00.003+02:00

Last Sunday myself and 5 guests took part in the Martinez Oliver sportive in Almeria. A 130km sportive with a 12km timed hill climb in the middle. There where 7 pros entered as special guests including Ruben Plaza from caisse d'epargne and none other than Miguel Indurain. Results can be found here
This weekend we are off to El Ejido for another sportive in the sun with more to follow in the coming weeks.

Hot hot hot

2010-05-08T20:52:00.002+02:00

The heat is finally on in Cadiar and we are getting some serious cycling done. We have recently had our largest group out ever and have a full summer of sportives coming up. Here are a few recent photos. Now I'm off to the fiesta

Facebook

2010-05-04T09:36:00.002+02:00

Now you can become a fan of Vamos cycling on facebook. Over the next 4 weeks we are doing back to back sportives so check back for the reports.
Vamos Cycling

Promote your Page too

New loop

2010-04-21T16:38:00.003+02:00

I've had a bit of time on my hands during the travel chaos and decided to go and have a look at the route for our new tour. I didn't quite plan on riding nearly the whole route in a day but at least its done now. The riding the other side of the Sierra Nevada is just as spectacular as this side with some huge variations in landscape. We are going to try and run the first week in September and will have details on our web site asap. We have more people than ever booked in for some of our Spanish cyclo sportives so are looking forward to them.

Vuelta Sierra Nevada by vamoscycling.com at Garmin Connect - Details

2010-04-21T16:38:00.000+02:00

Vuelta Sierra Nevada by vamoscycling.com at Garmin Connect - Details

Sportive dates 2010

2010-03-14T08:27:00.000+01:00

Hello
We have some of the first sportive dates coming in, some are still provisional but should give you an idea if you fancy a challenge. Please get in contact if you would like more details.

16th May VII Juan Martinez Oliver sportive. With a guest appearance from Miguel Indurain, yes that's right, the man himself. This is a 113km sportive with a timed 14km race uphill in the middle. It's in Almeria so we drive there and back in a day during your stay. Cost is around 30 depending on entry times.

29th May La Sufrida (the Suffering). This is a tough one around Ronda. 196 km or 117 km with over 4000 metres of climbing for the longer. All timed with electronic chips and gold, silver and bronze times awarded. This involves a 2 night stop in Ronda so please get in touch for costs.

6th June XIV Subida Puerto De Ragua. 100km Sportive with a real race feel. Two passes over the Puerto de Ragua used in last years Vuelta with a 50km flat run back to Guadix for a huge paella. Our most local sportive with a great turnout from the local clubs.

26-27th June Sierra Nevada Limite TBC. No definite date yet but one worth making a note of.
A 2 day sportive around the Granada side of the Sierra Nevada.175 km on the Saturday and then the famous 40km climb up the Pico Veleta on the Sunday. Times will be given for both days and a combined time for the two. An amazing event with a large turnout and a real weekend race atmosphere with food, goody bags and a 2 night stop in Granada.

Hope to see you all soon
Gary and Sarah
Vamos! cycling

4-5hrs

2010-03-12T08:55:00.005+01:00

The weather is finally starting to look more Spanish and we are getting some good days in with some strong riders. We rode the brutal climb up through Polopos last week as a bit of practice for a race I have coming up. The dates for the first Spanish sportives we are attending are on our website with more being added as we get dates.

Climbing out of Cadiar Jan 2010

2010-02-04T18:59:00.001+01:00

Climbing out of Cadiar Jan 2010,
originally uploaded by vamoscycling.

Blue sky's here at last in the Sierra Nevada and lots of miles in lots of legs

New year at Vamos cycling

2010-01-25T16:38:00.004+01:00

I've finally got a moment to sit down and update the blog. We had a very busy Christmas with the weather not being very kind to us and the house coming under attack from the rain and wind and Sarah having to battle in the kitchen with no electric one day to no water the next. The shape of Cadiar down by the river has changed some what with the heaviest rain and flooding in years. Now the weather has calmed down we have been getting some descent miles done with everyone achieving what they wanted on the bike. We had a great review in The Guardian last month which produced a lot of interest and a few bookings. We are starting to get ready for the Spanish sportive season posting dates as we get them which give UK cyclists a real challenge and a great alternative to the expensive oversubscribed French sportives. Our new dog chica is settling in and keeping everyone amused during there stay.

Last 2 races

2009-11-03T09:37:00.002+01:00

I've just done my last 2 races of the the year and managed 2nd place master 40 in both of them. The first was our clubs own pico de Estrella (tip of the star) a race straight uphill with a hilltop finish. A real tough one, you find yourself in the red the whole way just trying to stay with any kind of group. The second race was the VI copa De Dalias, a 14km climb followed by a very fast technical 14km descent, right up my street. I found myself climbing much better in this one and in a great position for the descent. I gained a couple of places on the way down but also lost a couple due to crashing quite heavily, but adrenalin got me down nicely to 9th o\a and 2nd master 40 with €30 prize money as a bonus.

Vamos tour

2009-10-26T19:00:00.007+01:00

I have started the first steps planning our week tour (mini Vuelta, Andalucian raid, a week in hell) any name suggestions will be considered.

Day 1 will be a fairly flat run out of the eastern end of Las Alpujarras to Gador, a small town in the foothills of the Sierra Gador.

Day 2 is where we start climbing taking in 2 well used Vuelta ascents of Velefique and Calar Alto. Velefique is known as the alp du'huez of Andalucia due to the massive amount of hairpins, with both climbs being classed as cat 1 this will be a great day for climbing fans.

Day 3 will take us to Ubeda, a town well visited by Spanish and foreign tourists alike.

Day 4 Brings us from Jaen province back into Granada. A ride across the flattish plains of Granada

Day 5 We leave Guadix for a ride over the mighty 2000m Puerto De La Ragua before working our way back up the Alpujarra valley to Cadiar.

These are the firsts steps to planning our tour. When it appears on the main website it will be active.

day 5 guadix/cadiar 87.46 kms 1,960 meters climbed
day 4 ubeda/guadix 113.46 kms 1,745 meters
day 3 caniles/ubeda 129.61 kms 1,630 meters
day 2 gador/caniles 101.43 kms 2,624 meters
day 1 cadiar/gador 81.31 kms 1,170 meters

At last

2009-09-24T19:39:00.004+02:00

I've been a bit slack on the blog front lately having been a bit busy. We are getting ready for a fairly quiet November and a bit of a rest before a busy Christmas and then a few months of winter training in the sun. We have more than doubled our numbers from last year which is great considering the current climate. I've got one more race this year which is put on by my club and involves racing up hill for 46km on a Mountain bike without the enjoyment of racing back down, very Spanish. We are trying to get another bedroom ready when we get a minute so we can sleep two more. We are also thinking of putting on a couple of tours next year as soon as I can search out the routes which will go out towards Almeria and maybe out around the Sierra Nevada to Granada.
I've also been busy loading a few photos to Flikr.

flikr

Sierra nevada climbs

2009-08-22T23:14:00.002+02:00

Here are a few of my favorite climbs we do around the Sierra nevada, part of a new web page I'm compiling for our site, vamoscycling

Andalucian road race champs

2009-08-09T17:56:00.002+02:00

Myself and my long time training and racing partner Tim decided to enter a round of the Andalucian road race champs a few weeks ago to try and take our racing up a level. The event was for master 30 with master 40 being invited. It was only a 60km race but included two large climbs which made staying together with any kind of peleton impossible. I tried to stay with the main group on the first climb but faded badly and had to start riding in survival mode far sooner than I would have liked. I finished as one of the stragglers with Tim not far behind realizing I would need a lot more work on my speed if I ever do another round. With free entry and closed roads for a 60km loop an event not to be sniffed at and well supported.

Sierra nevada limite road 2009

2009-07-11T12:55:00.004+02:00

Myself and a few guests went to Granada last week to take part in the first limite road, a new sportive in Granada. The Saturday had us riding 202 km and 50 km up the pico veleta on the Sunday. One of our guests (Will, team synergy)rode the slightly shorter 95km route on the Sunday and got himself 4th o/a for the 2 day combined time. I got myself 11th o/a with Andy getting 16th and Paul coming in 30th which we all decided we thoroughly deserved. Sarah had another go at the Sunday and got herself as far as the ski resort before joining us for some paella. I am still undecided whether to take part in the long ride next year as it was very brutal with 15% ramps after cycling 180km but that will soon be forgotten. I'm off to do a round of the Andalucian road race champs tomorrow so will see how that goes.http://vueltaalconjuro.blogspot.com/

More Mtb'n

2009-06-26T07:59:00.003+02:00

We are off to the 3rd round of the marathon champs this weekend to try and get some more points, which ain't easy. After that its only one week to the Sierrnevadalimiteroad which I think is going to be my toughest day on a bike yet.

Puerto De La Ragua report

2009-06-24T15:21:00.003+02:00

I was feeling a bit to confident going into the race and didn't really allow for how much time I'd had off over the last few weeks and went off far to quick at the start and payed for it halfway up the first climb. I managed to calm down and get it back together getting in a descent size bunch to help me back to the finish and get home 6th in my category and 34th o/a so not all bad. I'm off to another round of the Andalusian mtb champs this weekend where I got 14th in the masters last year which I will be happy with again.

XIII SUBIDA AL PUERTO DE LA RAGUA

2009-06-19T10:58:00.005+02:00

XIII SUBIDA AL PUERTO DE LA RAGUA
We are off to Guadix for the above race on Sunday. I had quite a good result last year so hoping for better this year. We ride over Puerto de la Ragua twice so its quite a tough one. I've got myself a new video camera to play with as well, so here's the first attempt coming down the Contraviesa.

11th Gran fondo La Sufrida

2009-06-03T10:35:00.006+02:00

I took part in La Sufrida (the suffering) at the weekend in Ronda to see if we could take guests there next year. With 4,300 mts of climbing and 196km in length it was never going to be easy. 435 riders took to the line with nearly half doing the 117 km and the rest of us doing the longer 196 km. I got to the start line with 4 of my club mates to get our race passports stamped. We set off to a barrage of fireworks into the 20km neutral zone only for Andreas to get a massive slash in the sidewall of his tyre. As we where all together we all stopped to help but had to wait for the backup car which wasted us a good 20 mins. We worked together to try and catch the bunch but had to keep waiting for directions as the neutral zone wasn't signed. During a fast descent I was the only one who noticed an arrow off to the left which my club decided to ignore, as well as my shouts, and went straight on, at this point I decided to go it alone and just get my head down. I was ticking the miles off nicely passing people all the time but never catching any group to work with as the climbs had already split the pack. The heat was proving to be the usual problem as I was tipping more water over my head than down my throat which was giving me massive headaches on every descent, the fastest being 83km. At around 50km into the race we triggered another timing mat for the cronoescalada (uphill time trial), 13 km with 809 mts of height gain, very tough when you try and commit having never seen the climb. After that we had a huge descent before the relentless climbs back to the finish. I got home 64th o/a and 31st in my catagory not even achieving a bronze time, so unfinished buisness and back next year hopefully with a full house of guests to suffer with. 8000 calories burnt and 8 lts of fluid drunk and around 3kilos of weight lost told me how tough it was. The winning average speed of 32kmh also explains only half a dozen gold times.

Busy

2009-05-16T18:33:00.003+02:00

We have been too busy here to do any updates for a while which has been far better then we expected in only our 2nd full year. We have had some tough weeks with some great cyclists often going over 500km and 9000 mts of climbing around the Sierra Nevada. Two of us went and took part in the Juan Martinez oliver cyclosportive a couple of weeks ago and both came back with trophy's in our group ( well done Ange). We are getting ready for the next round of the Andalucian moutain bike championchips and then the Sierra nevada limite road for which we now have a full house.

2nd round copa de Andalucia

2009-04-22T18:08:00.003+02:00

I raced in the 2nd round of the Andalucian marathon championships at the weekend and came 21st from 133 master 40s and 107 o/a from 600. Not to bad with 94 elites taking part. It was the fastest Mtb race I've ever done with an average speed of 25km and a 35km through and off for the last 6km with group of 4, very painful. It was 104 km long with about 5 km of single track so not really my thing, next round is a lot more technical. I'm off to do the Juan Martinez Oliver sportive in a couple of weeks in Almeria so looking forward to that. Finaly got my road bike finished with the new wheels so very happy about that, need to start work on the carbon mtb frame now.

New season

2009-04-16T07:49:00.002+02:00

Our winter training is coming to an end and we are starting to get a good mix of road and mountain bikers now here in the Sierra Nevada. I'm off to race in the Andalucian mtb championships this weekend which is going to make me realize I'm not going as fast as I think I am, but worth a shot.

3rd mtb marathon El Ejido

2009-04-05T18:16:00.003+02:00

Iraced in the El Ejido mountain bike marathon last week and had another good result coming 14th o/a and 2nd in the master 40 which was a huge improvement from last year. Its a pretty tough race with the first climb going on for nearly 4okm until you reach the very technical 14km descent before more climbing and single track to the 80km finish. I managed to get out on a club ride today, my first for ages, all the usual 2009 bling on display, Zipp wheels, Dura ace grupos, Look frames and more tubs on carbon rims than not for training rides and why not. I've got a few weeks now until the Juan martinez oliver sportive in Almeria which is a great social ride. I also have a round of the Andalucian Mtb championchips to do in a couple of weeks where I will get a real test.

First races

2009-03-28T17:38:00.003+01:00

I've started racing at last with a good result in the Alhamilla
xtreme on Sunday with a 6th o/a. I always forget how tough mtb races are especially when they are 125km, it just seems to take forever to clock up the miles at times. I'm of to El Ejido tommorrow for another 80km mtb race with 2200mts of climbing, the 3rd time doing this race for me and I'm feeling quit strong so we will see. We have got quite a few booked in for upcoming sportives which is going to make a nice change to be on the road bike in anger.

Training weeks

2009-03-14T17:07:00.001+01:00

We are finally starting to calm down a bit here after only having a few free days since November. Thank you to every one who has been out and for all your encouraging words. Below are a couple of links from reports people have given while they have been out cycling. The cyclo sportive season starts soon and we have plenty of people coming over to try out racing with the Spanish.
Boards.ie
Brighton mitre

Miles and miles

2009-03-07T17:54:00.002+01:00

Brighton miter "training" Chispaaaaaa!

We have been going out road cycling constantly now for weeks braving all weathers and helping every one get in some solid winter miles. The sun has come out today with a huge temperature increase which is great for the coming weeks guests. My next race is the El Ejido mtb marathon which I'm looking forward to even though I've had no time on the mtb.

New bike

2009-02-25T09:32:00.003+01:00

At last my new frame finally arrived, its a Figmo 900 made by edge design from the not very euro Taiwan, I've had a couple of rides already and it rides great, hard to believe frames hold your weight these days at only 950 grms. I had the first race lined up for it but it clashes with a mtb marathon I've already entered so will have to wait. Just off out for a 70km steady day after some 4hr training rides this week, don't know if I'm getting faster or more tired, or maybe just older! At least the sun is shining and did I mention I've got a new bike.

First race 2009

2009-02-05T11:44:00.003+01:00

I've got Sunday spare this week after an airport run so I'm going to have a go a mtb race in Almeria. It's only a short xc race that I normally struggle with but I feel quite strong this year after the amount of riding I've managed to get in. The weather here is still a bit unsettled as is everywhere by the looks of it, hopefully get a ride in later. At the moment its one day rain next day sun and so on.

Bad Winter

2009-02-02T16:48:00.004+01:00

We are having a bad winter this year at Vamos cycling but have still only lost 3 days cycling in the last 3 months. We had to call the van today as a bit too much snow had fallen on the road. We are looking forward to a change in the weather and the start of the cyclosportive season.

2009-01-21T22:45:00.001+01:00

R.I.P Foggy, a sad day

Winter miles

2009-01-20T14:36:00.002+01:00

We are very busy here at Vamos winter training with only a few days spare through Feb/March. The weather hasn't been as settled as last year but we have only lost 2 days cycling in the last 5 weeks. Our first mountain bike marathon of the year has been confirmed for April 5th so we will be busy preparing for that soon. We are taking in some larger groups this year using a local hotel which we are looking forward to.

Club run

more snow

2009-01-09T19:59:00.002+01:00

We had another heavy snowfall last night in Cadiar so have been getting the miles in on the coast. We now have a Spanish cyclosportive list on our main website.

Big day

2009-01-06T17:57:00.002+01:00

We went out today to do the cat 1 Puerto de la Ragua climb which is being used in this years Vuelta a España. We attacked it from a different direction than normal copying the route of the pro's starting in Cherin. We wimped out and got picked up at the summit with frost forming on the front of our shirts. I think this will become one of our regular rides for our guests that enjoy pain, which seems to be most of them !

Christmas week

2008-12-28T08:52:00.001+01:00

A few shots of Christmas week with Vamos cycling !

New winter trainer

2008-12-10T09:39:00.002+01:00

Here's my new winter training machine. Its a Beone nirvana 2.0 frame which I got from chainreation bikes flood sale for £210, the rest of the bits where laying around in the workshop. Its built into a 30lbs beast but rides well. I've just had a weekend with a couple of friends from my Spanish club who stayed with their mujers at my house, very hard work trying to speak Spanish for a whole weekend. Also very funny watching pure Spanish roadies trying to tackle technical singletrack with their forks locked out ! I'm now gettiing ready for our busy Christmas.

Pico veleta photos

2008-12-05T09:57:00.001+01:00

There are some great shots here of the climb all the way to the top of the pico veleta, from the Altimetrias website.

Sierra nevada limite road

2008-12-02T12:39:00.001+01:00

Please have a look at our main site for more details of this event

Come and join us in southern Spain next July for a brand new sportive event. Called the Sierra Nevada Limité Road this will be a spectacular and tough event, bringing together two of Spain's best events. Taking place over a whole weekend with a cyclosportive on the Saturday and another on the Sunday. On the Saturday there is a choice of 94km or 202km around the mighty Sierra Nevada mountains climbing a total of 5280 mts on the longer ride and on Sunday we climb the Pico Veleta mountain, only 47 km in length but a height gain of 2565 mts finishing 3290 mts above sea level. This event has been running for years on its own, with the same winner for the last 10 years, but now joined with another challenge this will be a sportive to remember. Add to this a stay in the amazing city of Granada, after ride, barbecue and cycle exhibition and this will be a weekend not to be missed. We are offering this as a week package from Wednesday 1st July until Wednesday 8th July. We will be staying in Granada on the Friday and Saturday nights and at our amazing townhouse on the remaining days with rides around the stunning Alpujarra mountains from our doorstep.
Price £370
What's included: All transfers, B&B accommodation, lunches, race entry and more!
What's not included: Flights, insurance, evening meals
recap
First day: 94km 3,150mts climbing or 202km with 5,280mts climbing
Second day: 47km with 3,290 mts climbing

A good end to the year

2008-11-16T20:03:00.007+01:00

We raced in the II pico de estrella today up the mighty sierra de Gador. A 26km mtb bike race all uphill. I got off to a great start with the leading group and stayed with them for around 8km which gave me a great start. I only lost 1 place with around 3km to go but gained it back from another rider. Had to put in a painful dig at the end so I did'nt lose another and came 5th o/a and 1st in the master 40, so a good day on the bike.

One more race

2008-11-14T08:58:00.002+01:00

The last race of the year for me is on Sunday, the pico de estrella (peak of the stars) which our club cc de Berja is putting on. It's basically a mountain bike time trial rather than a race, 26km up the sierra de Gador with the finnish at the top, shame really because theres a good 14 km of single track down the other side. Then the racing season really stops here which dosn't make sense with the weather we have. We are then busy with guests right through christmas and new year so thats going to be a great way to tick over.

Spanish cyclosportives 2009

2008-11-03T17:47:00.005+01:00

We are starting to get the cyclosportive list together for 2009. So if you can't get an entry or are fed up with the over priced etape du tour, come and join us on one of our brilliant events. Equally as challenging and far more relaxed and better value.

6th March 2009
6th cyclosportive sierra de la pilar
115 km in Murcia. Only €50 with food included after.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

23rd May 2009 13 cyclosportive international sierras de moratalla
170 km around Murcia

We will be adding more details of these events on our main site in the coming weeks so please check back or subscribe to our newsletter on the info page vamoscycling.com
We also have details on the website of the awsome El limite mountain bike marathon 100km in lenght and starting at the ski station in the sierra nevada. An event not to missed by any mtn biker who likes a challenge.

v copa de mountain bike ciudad de Dalias

2008-10-26T17:47:00.004+01:00

We went to the above race today in between guests. Sarah pulled out during the climb because of high winds and being a bit scared, but put in a good effort. I came 12th o/a and 2nd in the master 4o, bagging €30 in the process. We have one more race now in November before we get very busy with guests and friends coming over for some winter training.

Mountain biking now added

2008-10-08T22:59:00.003+02:00

We have now added mountain biking to our website with our first full week starting in November. The trails around the Sierra Nevada are fantastic and we can't wait to get started. We will be concentrating mainly on xc riders as the amount of climbing we will be doing won't really suit the 50 lb riding downhill mountain biker. We are going to try and push winter training for mountain bikers to really get the miles in as no one seems to offer this.

V Marcha Cicloturista Juan Martínez Oliver

2008-09-29T10:33:00.004+02:00

I raced in the marcha Juan Martinez at the weekend and had another good result coming 17th o/a . They also had Olympic champion Joan Llaneras taking part which was special, although he didn't contest the race. Out of the 131km we covered it rained for about 70, which considering we were racing around the so called deserts of Almeria and passed mini hollywood where they used to film scenes from spaghetti westerns it felt a bit wierd. Part of the race included a descent for a change which had a couple of people off in the rain, and carbon pinarello's dont make a nice noise when they are sliding. All the training seems to be paying off though. We are getting ready in Cadiar for the fiesta that starts this weekend and goes on for around a week with fair rides, music and food, and the free wine fountain!!! I'm racing again this weekend in Granada which will be it for a while then as we are busy with guests.
classifications

Maraton la palma

2008-09-24T21:19:00.004+02:00

Just got some photos from the race.

Maraton la palma

2008-09-23T17:57:00.004+02:00

I raced in the 3rd round of the Adalucian mtb marathon championships on Sunday and had another good result. You always know if your doing well in these events when you have one slip and loose 20 places and by the amount of carbon bling your surrounded by. My result was 14th from 98 master 40's and 80th o/a from 364 starters, a big jump up from last year. I think I will try and do the whole 4 round series next year. We are busy with guests now until Christmas so not much time for more races this year but lots of training for next.

Here it is

2008-09-16T18:11:00.003+02:00

The trophy turned up at last and as a special treat I got some name stickers done, such a poser. I've been getting the miles in on the mtb between guests ready for the race this weekend, the last round of the Andalucian mtb championships.

First at last !!!!!!!!

2008-09-03T09:28:00.003+02:00

Just seen the results from the race at the weekend and I was the first master 40 and 42nd o/a from 268. I wish it had been a bit better organized then I might have known there was a podium while I was having a shower. Still , I don't think it's going to happen again for a while so I'm going to make the most of it. Result!

That was tough!

2008-08-31T13:23:00.003+02:00

We rode the Vuelta version of the etape yesterday and it was the first time I've ridden the puerto de monachil. It is a tough climb, not very long but even with my girls 39\ 27 gears I was standing more than I was sitting just to turn the pedals. As if that wasn't enough after the massive descent back down, they sent us back up to the ski resort via Guajar Sierra, more standing on the worst climb I've ever done. I got to the top with jumping gears and a chain held together by half a pin. After a shower and some lunch we watched the prologue around the streets of Granada which was great. Alberto Contador was getting mobbed every where he went: by me and my club mates .

3rd Marcha la Vuelta a España

2008-08-29T18:58:00.002+02:00

Had a monster ride with the club last week , nearly 200 kms with a great lunch in the middle. Started in Adra at sea level and came up over the mountains to Lanjaron and back to the coast via Motril. Been out a lot this week which has been good preparation for our Spanish Etape tomorrow. We are doing 100km in the morning climbing around the Sierra Nevada and then watching the pros do their 7km in the evening. Should be good, Granada is a great place to watch and get up close to the action.

First ham

2008-08-21T22:03:00.002+02:00

We got round to buying our first ham last week {very Spanish} after getting the important ham rack for my birthday. We had Sarah's brother out last week for a visit and now its all gone! Foggy and Meg are big fans of whats left.

2008-08-19T21:37:00.002+02:00

I've started getting out on the mountain bike this week trying to get a bit of shape for the next round of the Andalucian marathon championships in September. We are also off to the 1st stage of the vuelta on the 30th of this month for the prologue, which also includes a cyclosportive in the morning of around 100km with a couple of climbs up the sierra nevada which should make for a great day. We have started getting a few bookings for later in the year now and still have some races left so hopefully we should have a busy 2nd half year.

Kin Hot!

2008-08-05T20:23:00.003+02:00

Just had 3 weeks back in the UK which gave me time to do 3 time trials and a couple of road races. I've been beating myself up trying to beat my eve 10 pb of what I thought was 24.12 {its a lumpy coarse} but I justed checked and its only 24.48 so my 25.01 wasn't to far away. Just realized talking about time trials is quit boring. Went for a 95km ride when I got back to Spain far to late in the day in 30+ temps and lost 2 kilos during the ride, no wonder I felt so bloody ill when I got back. August seems to be a good month to close as you only get a window of about 4 hrs where its OK to ride in the morning. We have our cadiar expo this weekend which involves some local produce {wine and jamon} , the solar power man, a bar and a concert: what more do you want. I'm of for a beer and tapas, vamos!

Almeria cyclosportive in the sun

2008-07-08T19:33:00.002+02:00

I'm starting to feel sorry for you when i see the UK weather so get yourselves a cheap flight booked to Almeria and come and do a cyclosportive in the sun with us. The date is the 27th September, with a distance of 131 km. We will ride in a huge rolling road block for most of the ride with a 20 km race in the middle if you fancy it. There will be food afterwards and for your €35 you also get a new cycling jersey. I can't recommend Spanish sportives enough. Please contact us through our main site if you are interested. weekend trips are available. vamoscycling

xv subida cicloturista al pico veleta

2008-07-07T16:46:00.005+02:00

Yesterday the Vamos team competed in the xv climb of the pico veleta. We stayed the night before the race in a hotel half way up the climb. The morning of the race felt much warmer than previous years and with the actual start in Granada city this year the start was hotter than ever. We rode out through the city in a rolling road block for around 20km before we started the climb proper and every one settled down. The winning time was 1h.59 with the same guy winning for the last 10 years ! I came 207 from 600with a time of 3h.06m, 20 mins slower than last year, think I need to start training again and stop drinking because I turned 40. And now un poco Español. Estaba subida muy duro. Enhorabuena Jesus, Edu, Victor y Antonio amigos simpaticos. Hasta pronto las naranjas

Back in Spain

2008-07-03T19:51:00.004+02:00

I'm back in Spain this week after 2 good time trials and one terrible road race in the UK, so we won't talk about that, apart from the fact I slogged my guts out on my own for the last lap and didn't even get put on the finish list for my £20 quid, that's enough of that! We are off to Granada this weekend for the Pico Veleta sportive which we are all looking forward to at the moment, might feel a bit different on Sunday with 8 km to go at 2200 mts. 30 + deg every day at the moment so bike rides are being done early and kept quite short. We have had the in-laws visiting this week which is nice. We have just had a couple out from Brighton Mitre CC who have given us a great report on their site so thanks for that, Mike and Claire. Brighton Mitre

Rest week

2008-06-08T09:59:00.002+02:00

Having a rest this week, Ive been doing back to back weeks so I'm going to get a few jobs done on the house. I'm of to the UK again in a couple of weeks so I'm going to try and beat my pb on the evening 10 tt coarse, stand by for disappointment. The weather has really warmed up here in Las Alpujarras so we are already trying to get out early to leave time for lazing on the terrace. We have had some interest for our vuelta a España week so we are looking forward to that, Granada is a great place to see the race. Going to spend today on the sofa like a real cyclist watching moto gp and eating crisps.

xll subida al puuerto de la ragua

2008-06-06T17:35:00.002+02:00

Raced in the subida al puerto de la ragua at the weekend, a 116km race thinly disguised as a cyclosportive, with 2 passes over the sierra nevada at 2000mts, one of the best events we do here in Spain. Perfectly organized with with timing chips and mats, Police outriders, lead car with display time, Marshals at every junction, free shirt, huge paella and drinks at the end with trophies for the ones who trained a bit harder, All this for €25 euros. Puts every event Ive done in the UK to shame. I came 40th o/a and 8th yes 8th in the master 40. Cant wait for next year. Oh and Tim beat me, just!

El limite 2008

2008-05-26T19:30:00.004+02:00

Had a great race in el limite this year helped by going off a lot slower than usual, which made the final climb a little bit more manageable but not a lot. The whole event seems to get bigger and better organized every year with a full entry this year. I came 143 o/a from 1200 starters and 38th in the master 40 which i have moved to this year. Looking forward to the puerto de ragua sportive this Sunday which we are taking part in with a few guests so should be fun.

Back to training

2008-05-21T15:32:00.002+02:00

Got back from the UK this week after a 3 week visit, really enjoyed the races I did and the weather was fantastic. Back to training with the little time left before El Limite this Saturday. Then we are busy with guests through June and July and taking part in some cyclo sportives at the same time.

El Ejido maraton

2008-04-07T18:22:00.004+02:00

Had a good ride at the weekend in the 80 km El Ejido mtb marathon. I came 25th o/a and 6th in the master 40 from 227 finishers so not a bad result against the the Spaniards. Good job there was a lot of downhill as their 5mm travel forks and 100psi tires they like to ride can't really cope.

HOT!!!

2008-04-04T15:54:00.000+02:00

The temperature has gone through the roof this week in the Sierra Nevada making training hard going but I'm not complaining. I've got my first mtb race of the year on Sunday so looking forward to that. I need to go back to the UK in a couple of weeks so have booked up a couple of races while I'm back, one at Deers Leap in East Grinstead where my old club is based and the Gorrick mtb enduro which I did a few years ago so looking forward to those.

New shirt

2008-03-26T20:54:00.000+01:00

I've got my first mtb race of the year in a couple of weeks so I'm trying to get some miles in on the bouncer between guests. We have been designing a new shirt which we will get produced later in the year, let me know what you think with the poll on the right.

Strong winds

2008-03-23T19:39:00.001+01:00

We have been getting all sorts of weather this week, hot sunshine, rain, snow, and strong winds today blowing snow off the tops of the Sierra Nevada making cycling quite hard. We are still having some great weather here in Las Alpujarras and getting in some good miles ready for the first races.

still here

2008-03-17T19:27:00.000+01:00

We have been a bit busy the last few weeks with guests and a trip back to England. Sarah raced in the El Ejido half marathon at the weekend and found out how serious the Spaniards take their running. I'm busy on the mtb bike now getting ready for th El Ejido mtb marathon on April 6th and the gorrick enduro which Ive entered while I'm on another flying visit back to the UK.

still sunny

2008-02-07T20:27:00.000+01:00

Rode along the coast today in perfect sun and 19 deg, so if your struggling to get your miles in for the etape du tour or any other ciclosportive get in touch soon as we are out training every week on large climbs in the alpujarra mountains. Vamoscycling

winter training in the sun!

2008-02-04T19:23:00.000+01:00

we have just finished the biggest week we have had so far, 900 km in a week with an average of 2000 mts climbing a day and perfect sunshine. Two great club rides with my Spanish club who always make everyone very welcome. I think everyone has gone home with some serious form including me.

Hard training week

2008-02-02T19:16:00.000+01:00

We have had a great week here training hard and made 814 kms today for the week with a club ride still to do tomorrow. Well done Matt, Ben and John 3 of the fastest cyclists i have ridden with

Winter riding in the sun

2008-01-07T08:40:00.000+01:00

Nice flat club ride this week along the sea front 80 km. I must be getting more Spanish as i had the full kit on, feet warmers, longs, scarf the lot, absolutely boiling. We now have details of our vuelta a Espana week on the main site.

Este Domingo estuvimos

2007-12-31T16:28:00.000+01:00

Had time for a club ride up to puerto de la ragua. We are having amazing weather at the moment with a couple of days of rain forcast this week then back to sun. We are getting booked up for January with people wanting some winter training but its a lot more relaxed now the house is finished, i can just enjoy the riding. We will hopefully have some more Spanish cyclo sportive dates in the next couple of weeks, will keep you posted

Swiming in December

2007-12-28T19:59:00.000+01:00

All down to la Rabita today on the Costa tropical. Very cold descent in the morning but it warmed up nicely in time for lunch on the beach, a bit to much for our visitors from northern Scotland as they needed a swim! Everyone was strong on the way back up the puerto de Albondon with another cold descent back in to cadiar.

cyclocross training

2007-12-27T17:56:00.000+01:00

We are having a great week here at vamos cycling in las alpujarras sierra nevada, cyclocross riding. We climbed up to the snow line today with a great singletrack descent back to base.

winter training

2007-12-21T13:46:00.000+01:00

The house is finished and we are ready to run at our full capacity. We've got our first full house next week and are starting to fill up for January with cyclists after some winter training. The weather has turned a bit but is staying dry and a bit warmer than the UK apparently. Dates are starting to be confirmed for next year for our sportive season and the vuelta is coming to Granada again so a vamos visit is being planned.